filter crash

[orandafan12]

I added ammonia for my new 29 gallon tank and it has not converted yet. Is filter broken? This filter has been cycled and its been about 12 hours

 

[jeffp]

what do you mean by the filter has been cycled? is it an old filter you took off another tank?

 

[eco23]

Can you give a bit more detail? So, the filter was moved from an established tank with seeded media? How much ammonia? Are you starting a second tank and doing a fishless cycle on it?

 

[orandafan12]

what do you mean by the filter has been cycled? is it an old filter you took off another tank?

Yes its from my cycled 20 gallon

 

[orandafan12]

Can you give a bit more detail? So, the filter was moved from an established tank with seeded media? How much ammonia? Are you starting a second tank and doing a fishless cycle on it?

Yes. I am not trying to do a cycle. Im trying to insta cycle my new tank with some subtrate decorations from my 20 gallon tank. I added ammonia to see if the filter can convert it. I added enough to make it 2 ppm

 

[eco23]

So...you've got a piece of filter media, substrate and decorations you moved over? If so, it's really about the proportion of beneficial bacteria to bio-load (or pure ammonia). If not enough bacteria was brought over, it won't insta-cycle a tank with high levels of ammonia. In this case I would only add small portions of ammonia to fully cycle it...or if you have confidence that the media is heavily seeded...so ahead and stock the tank very lightly, constantly testing and doing water changes as needed to keep any toxins down. As long as you add a very small bio-load at first, it shouldn't be a big deal. Just be sure the ammo and no2 is at zero before adding any fish.

If I'm misunderstanding and there's not filter media...only substrate and decorations, they will help, but not enough where it's going to instantly cycle within a few days. You'd need a lot of established, bacteria filled filter media to do that.

 

[orandafan12]

So...you've got a piece of filter media, substrate and decorations you moved over? If so, it's really about the proportion of beneficial bacteria to bio-load (or pure ammonia). If not enough bacteria was brought over, it won't insta-cycle a tank with high levels of ammonia. In this case I would only add small portions of ammonia to fully cycle it...or if you have confidence that the media is heavily seeded...so ahead and stock the tank very lightly, constantly testing and doing water changes as needed to keep any toxins down. As long as you add a very small bio-load at first, it shouldn't be a big deal. Just be sure the ammo and no2 is at zero before adding any fish.

If I'm misunderstanding and there's not filter media...only substrate and decorations, they will help, but not enough where it's going to instantly cycle within a few days. You'd need a lot of established, bacteria filled filter media to do that.

Yes I have a power filter on it decorations and substrate. So would it be able to convert 2 ppm?

 

[eco23]

Yes I have a power filter on it decorations and substrate. So would it be able to convert 2 ppm?

Probably not 2ppm instantly. Thats a lot of ammonia to ask it to instantly handle. It basically depends on how much bacteria is in the seeded media. What do you plan on stocking in the new tank?

The idea of "insta-cycling" is normally more associated with setting up a QT which will contain very few fish, or when you simply transfer all your fish over to a new tank...and bring every scrap of filter media over to the tank as well. The bacteria will adjust to the ammonia being produced in the tank...so unless you are bringing over a ton of seeded media from a large, heavily stocked tank...asking it to handle 2ppm immediately is definitely asking a lot.

 

[orandafan12]

Probably not 2ppm instantly. Thats a lot of ammonia to ask it to instantly handle. It basically depends on how much bacteria is in the seeded media. What do you plan on stocking in the new tank?

The idea of "insta-cycling" is normally more associated with setting up a QT which will contain very few fish, or when you simply transfer all your fish over to a new tank...and bring every scrap of filter media over to the tank as well. The bacteria will adjust to the ammonia being produced in the tank...so unless you are bringing over a ton of seeded media from a large, heavily stocked tank...asking it to handle 2ppm immediately is definitely asking a lot.

Just moving over my 2 oranda from my 20 gallon. Should i do a pwc then?

 

[eco23]

Just moving over my 2 oranda from my 20 gallon. Should i do a pwc then?

So are you just upgrading tanks to a larger one and moving over all your fish? Do you plan on keeping the other tank up and running? Will you still have fish in the 20, or are the two Orandas the only fish in there?

If you're simply moving all your fish over...I'd do a complete water change, wait a couple days to make sure there is no residual ammonia left in the new tank, and move your fish over along with every scrap of media from the old tank. It should be fine that way. You'll lose a small amount of bacteria from the walls and other places inside the tank, so watch out for any toxin spikes...but a few pwc's and some testing should take care of it for you.

 

[orandafan12]

So are you just upgrading tanks to a larger one and moving over all your fish? Do you plan on keeping the other tank up and running?

If you're simply moving all your fish over...I'd do a complete water change, wait a couple days to make sure there is no residual ammonia left in the new tank, and move your fish over along with every scrap of media from the old tank. It should be fine that way. You'll lose a small amount of bacteria from the walls and other places inside the tank, so watch out for any toxin spikes...but a few pwc's and some testing should take care of it for you.

Id like to keep the older tank running. Would all the bacteria from the decor and subtrate be dead by now?

 

[eco23]

Id like to keep the older tank running. Would all the bacteria from the decor and subtrate be dead by now?

It shouldn't be unless it's been in there for a significant amount of time (I'd say more than a week without ammonia).

Just remember that decor and substrate is basically a way to introduce some beneficial bacteria and give you a head start on a cycle...but it's not very efficient at being able to instantly handle fish...especially dirty fish like Goldfish.

If those 2 tanks were in my house...I'd move the 2 Orandas to the bigger tank along with all the filter media from the old tank. Keep an eye out for toxin spikes and do pwc's if you see any ammo or no2. Then I'd start cycling the old tank with the ammonia to establish the new filters you'll be putting in there. Once the new tank stabilizes, you can donate some media from that tank back into the old and get it cycled and ready for fish. Just what I would personally do.

 

[orandafan12]

It shouldn't be unless it's been in there for a significant amount of time (I'd say more than a week without ammonia).

Just remember that decor and substrate is basically a way to introduce some beneficial bacteria and give you a head start on a cycle...but it's not very efficient at being able to instantly handle fish...especially dirty fish like Goldfish.

If those 2 tanks were in my house...I'd move the 2 Orandas to the bigger tank along with all the filter media from the old tank. Keep an eye out for toxin spikes and do pwc's if you see any ammo or no2. Then I'd start cycling the old tank with the ammonia to establish the new filters you'll be putting in there. Once the new tank stabilizes, you can donate some media from that tank back into the old and get it cycled and ready for fish. Just what I would personally do.

I already have a cycled filter in the old tank. So they should be fine for maybe about a week or so.

 

[orandafan12]

It shouldn't be unless it's been in there for a significant amount of time (I'd say more than a week without ammonia).

Just remember that decor and substrate is basically a way to introduce some beneficial bacteria and give you a head start on a cycle...but it's not very efficient at being able to instantly handle fish...especially dirty fish like Goldfish.

If those 2 tanks were in my house...I'd move the 2 Orandas to the bigger tank along with all the filter media from the old tank. Keep an eye out for toxin spikes and do pwc's if you see any ammo or no2. Then I'd start cycling the old tank with the ammonia to establish the new filters you'll be putting in there. Once the new tank stabilizes, you can donate some media from that tank back into the old and get it cycled and ready for fish. Just what I would personally do.

So i got it to be about .5 ppm so ill wait til its 0 and then ill put my fish in

 

[eco23]

So i got it to be about .5 ppm so ill wait til its 0 and then ill put my fish in

Sounds good. Just make sure there is zero ammonia and nitrItes and move them over with every scrap of filter media from their old tank. Keep an eye out for toxin spikes for a while just in case.

 

[orandafan12]

Sounds good. Just make sure there is zero ammonia and nitrItes and move them over with every scrap of filter media from their old tank. Keep an eye out for toxin spikes for a while just in case.

Just tested water.
Ammo 0 ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 5 ppm
Time for fish.